I scored this (functional) old unit for free from a client:

Pentium 75 w/8MB of RAM.

However, the RTC battery is dead and it's a soldered-on one, so this might be fun. Has anyone had any success just wiring in a CR in parallel (there are the pads for it on the board) to power the RTC rather than desoldering or cutting open the ODIN unit?

OVERK|LL wrote on 2025-02-15, 15:25:

I scored this (functional) old unit for free from a client:

Pentium 75 w/8MB of RAM.

However, the RTC battery is dead and it's a soldered-on one, so this might be fun. Has anyone had any success just wiring in a CR in parallel (there are the pads for it on the board) to power the RTC rather than desoldering or cutting open the ODIN unit?

These RTC modules doesn't have the legs for the battery, you have to remove the cover. Nice case, by the way 🙂.

Yes you should get that Odin out first. But do my eyes deceive me like an optical illusion, or are those 3,5" diskette drives fake. 🫢

dominusprog wrote on 2025-02-15, 15:30:

OVERK|LL wrote on 2025-02-15, 15:25:

I scored this (functional) old unit for free from a client:

Pentium 75 w/8MB of RAM.

However, the RTC battery is dead and it's a soldered-on one, so this might be fun. Has anyone had any success just wiring in a CR in parallel (there are the pads for it on the board) to power the RTC rather than desoldering or cutting open the ODIN unit?

These RTC modules doesn't have the legs for the battery, you have to remove the cover. Nice case, by the way 🙂.

OK, so there's no way for a CR battery soldered to the pads adjacent to the ODIN to get power to the RTC is what you are saying? I have to either remove or mod the ODIN?

Thanks on the case, it needs some retrobright for sure, but it's in great shape!!!

PD2JK wrote on 2025-02-15, 15:35:

Yes you should get that Odin out first. But do my eyes deceive me like an optical illusion, or are those 3,5" diskette drives fake. 🫢

They are totally fake. I already pulled one because I have a functional Panasonic that's going in. I have no need for the 5.25", so I'm going to remove that and try to find a period-correct ODD for it.

System was used as a "server", so had ISA video and no sound card. I have an SB16 here, a few SB Live's and some other options, so I'll fart around with that stuff once I've got the battery/RTC situation sorted. I've already swapped out the video card for an S3 Virge I had kicking around.

OVERK|LL wrote on 2025-02-15, 15:42:

dominusprog wrote on 2025-02-15, 15:30:

OVERK|LL wrote on 2025-02-15, 15:25:

I scored this (functional) old unit for free from a client:

Pentium 75 w/8MB of RAM.

However, the RTC battery is dead and it's a soldered-on one, so this might be fun. Has anyone had any success just wiring in a CR in parallel (there are the pads for it on the board) to power the RTC rather than desoldering or cutting open the ODIN unit?

These RTC modules doesn't have the legs for the battery, you have to remove the cover. Nice case, by the way 🙂.

OK, so there's no way for a CR battery soldered to the pads adjacent to the ODIN to get power to the RTC is what you are saying? I have to either remove or mod the ODIN?

Thanks on the case, it needs some retrobright for sure, but it's in great shape!!!

Yes. Necroware has made a very good video on this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBvw1TLHyqM&p … XJlIHJ0Yw%3D%3D
https://www.ebay.com/itm/205164925449?_skw=ne … ABk9SR_6wwaWhZQ

amadeus777999 wrote on 2025-02-14, 17:49:

After a LONG time I finally got to buy an OSSC and try it with some of my old PCs... I have to admit it's pretty nice!(It would be prefect if more monitors had a vertical resolution of 1200 pixels)
Only drawback one needs a monitor/TV able to display refresh rates higher than 60hz.
I have some CRTs but I do not like to "use them up" for things that take long work hours.

Nice one, does it pass-through the refresh rate? Like 1600x1200 144hz? There's any refresh rate (hz) limit imposed by ossc itseld?

Best regards

dominusprog wrote on 2025-02-15, 16:02:

Yes. Necroware has made a very good video on this. […]
Show full quote

OVERK|LL wrote on 2025-02-15, 15:42:

dominusprog wrote on 2025-02-15, 15:30:

These RTC modules doesn't have the legs for the battery, you have to remove the cover. Nice case, by the way 🙂.

OK, so there's no way for a CR battery soldered to the pads adjacent to the ODIN to get power to the RTC is what you are saying? I have to either remove or mod the ODIN?

Thanks on the case, it needs some retrobright for sure, but it's in great shape!!!

Yes. Necroware has made a very good video on this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBvw1TLHyqM&p … XJlIHJ0Yw%3D%3D
https://www.ebay.com/itm/205164925449?_skw=ne … ABk9SR_6wwaWhZQ

Thanks, will give that a watch.

Got the K7-900 Orion apart for factory TIM replacement. Unfortunately no free core upgrade on this one 😞. Still, feels good to get it repasted.

xelizor wrote on 2025-02-15, 16:08:

amadeus777999 wrote on 2025-02-14, 17:49:

After a LONG time I finally got to buy an OSSC and try it with some of my old PCs... I have to admit it's pretty nice!(It would be prefect if more monitors had a vertical resolution of 1200 pixels)
Only drawback one needs a monitor/TV able to display refresh rates higher than 60hz.
I have some CRTs but I do not like to "use them up" for things that take long work hours.

Nice one, does it pass-through the refresh rate? Like 1600x1200 144hz? There's any refresh rate (hz) limit imposed by ossc itseld?

Best regards

As far as I can tell - yes, the refresh rate is untouched which can be an unpleasant surprise if you're on a television not supporting rates in excess of 60hz(->black screen).
Since I'm only using the OSSC for old PCs I can't tell the upper limits of its capabilities from experience.
But... I read the "absolute threshold rate" of the unit is 2560x1440x70hz - maybe 60hz at most, but no guarantees.

Received two new Gigabyte GA-5AX rev 1.4 w/o BIOS, and a few broken ram clips.

Fixed the missing BIOS with 4.51PG (F4) and 6.00PG (4.1, the eSupport version), on my way to fix the clips too.

AGP4LIfe? wrote on 2025-02-15, 18:15:

Got the K7-900 Orion apart for factory TIM replacement. Unfortunately no free core upgrade on this one 😞. Still, feels good to get it repasted.

The attachment PXL_20250215_180656236~2.jpg is no longer available

The attachment PXL_20250215_181059960.jpg is no longer available

Been meaning to ask, what about Pluto? I have both a 600 and a 700 here.

Been meaning to ask, what about Pluto? I have both a 600 and a 700 here.

There is definitely a chance for a having a faster core than what's on the box with pluto's.
The first one I did was. 600Mhz unit with a 700 core. Then my 750 Pluto ended up being an Orion 900!

There Is only one way to find out tho 😉

AGP4LIfe? wrote on 2025-02-15, 18:15:

Got the K7-900 Orion apart for factory TIM replacement. Unfortunately no free core upgrade on this one 😞. Still, feels good to get it repasted.

What do you do to take advantage of the better cores? Move some resistors around on the PCB?

Kahenraz wrote on 2025-02-16, 06:57:

AGP4LIfe? wrote on 2025-02-15, 18:15:

Got the K7-900 Orion apart for factory TIM replacement. Unfortunately no free core upgrade on this one 😞. Still, feels good to get it repasted.

What do you do to take advantage of the better cores? Move some resistors around on the PCB?

Well I have a goldfinger which works handily.

Ah, so no BIOS fiddling, it's all thru Goldfinger.

Figured so given my recent DFI AK70 (a nice board even if no ISA slot) has ZERO overclocking options. Surprising, knowing DFI's habits, but then they're probably the basis for their Infinity branded boards - which are fairly spartan.

Kahenraz wrote on 2025-02-16, 06:57:

AGP4LIfe? wrote on 2025-02-15, 18:15:

Got the K7-900 Orion apart for factory TIM replacement. Unfortunately no free core upgrade on this one 😞. Still, feels good to get it repasted.

What do you do to take advantage of the better cores? Move some resistors around on the PCB?

Just first and foremost it just means your cpu has good head room to OC it you want. If you don't own a GF device and your board has no overclocking options, you can move 3 or 4 resistors around to create a permanent multiplier and identifier change.
Having a higher rated core means you can easily reach it's rated speed or more.

Trashbytes wrote on 2025-02-16, 07:26:

Kahenraz wrote on 2025-02-16, 06:57:

AGP4LIfe? wrote on 2025-02-15, 18:15:

Got the K7-900 Orion apart for factory TIM replacement. Unfortunately no free core upgrade on this one 😞. Still, feels good to get it repasted.

What do you do to take advantage of the better cores? Move some resistors around on the PCB?

Well I have a goldfinger which works handily.

I wonder if anyone is still making them. I really want one! 😀

AGP4LIfe? wrote on 2025-02-16, 08:03:

Trashbytes wrote on 2025-02-16, 07:26:

Kahenraz wrote on 2025-02-16, 06:57:

What do you do to take advantage of the better cores? Move some resistors around on the PCB?

Well I have a goldfinger which works handily.

I wonder if anyone is still making them. I really want one! 😀

Yup I got mine off eBay, technically its a reproduction of the goldfinger but it works just the same.

Trashbytes wrote on 2025-02-16, 07:26:

Kahenraz wrote on 2025-02-16, 06:57:

AGP4LIfe? wrote on 2025-02-15, 18:15:

Got the K7-900 Orion apart for factory TIM replacement. Unfortunately no free core upgrade on this one 😞. Still, feels good to get it repasted.

What do you do to take advantage of the better cores? Move some resistors around on the PCB?

Well I have a goldfinger which works handily.

What's a goldfinger? Can you share a photo?

Iirc it's basically an edge connector like a pci slot that has I jumpers to selectively short pins on the CPU card